A month later, potbelly fugitive captured in Linthicum

A pair of potbelly pigs that had been on the loose in the Linthicum area have been captured and reunited, Anne Arundel Animal Control officials say.

A pair of potbelly pigs that had been on the loose in the Linthicum area have been captured and reunited, Anne Arundel Animal Control officials say. (Anne Arundel County)

Luke Broadwater, The Baltimore Sun

The manhunt — er, pighunt — is over.

After nearly a month of pursuit, Anne Arundel authorities have finally captured both potbelly pigs they say have been "running at large" in the Linthicum area. The second pig was caught Wednesday.

"They're resting," said Robin Small, administrator for Anne Arundel County Animal Control, where the pigs were reunited. "They're snuggling in together."

The pair, first spotted outside an office park near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in early September, were being fed kale.

"Right now, they're scared," Small said. "But potbelly pigs are very social creatures. They should come around soon."

The first pig, a female, was captured last week with nets, animal control officials said. Both pigs were taken into custody in the 600 block of Hammonds Ferry Road.

Karen Gower, manager at the Red Wing Shoes store near where the pigs were apprehended, said her employees are going to miss the animals, which they used to watch regularly. One of her employees, she said, was feeding them.

"We understand they had to take them, but we're kind of sad to see them go," she said. "They would lay there stretched out like a dog under a tree for hours."

Animal Control Officer Glenn Johnson and Jim Bennett of the Department of Natural Resources were praised by officials Wednesday for pulling off the capture of the second pig, which involved the use of tranquilizers. Officers were concerned about the pig's safety, they said.

"We were getting some calls that he was getting into different areas a little bit further away," Small said. "With those concerns being raised — that he might be crossing roadways — we had to act sooner."

Traps had been set for the pigs, but the pair ignored them. It remains unclear how the pigs ended up there in the first place.

Now that they've been reunited at Anne Arundel County Animal Control, the pigs will be available for adoption after the required five-day holding period for "stray" animals. They will also be spayed and neutered before adoption.

Animal Control is working with the Pig Placement Network to screen applicants for the pigs, which have been named Miss Piggy and Kermit. Officials said that both pigs appeared to have lost a significant amount of weight while at large. Small said Miss Piggy weighs 26 pounds and Kermit weighs about 35.

"There are a lot of pigs looking for homes," Small said. "Unfortunately, people get them as pets and find out they can't care for them."